BARN-FLOORS. 207 



and well fitted and jointed ; these are nailed closely 

 down to wooden joists or sleepers, firmly placed and 

 secured upon the ground. This is the usual method of 

 forming oaken barn-floors, but in the midland counties 

 another plan is followed : instead of being nailed to 

 wooden sleepers, the planks are laid down over a level 

 flooring of brick, and are merely held together by being 

 "dowled;" that is, ploughed and tongued, while their 

 ends are let into sills or walls placed, as usual, on each 

 side of the floor. The brick-work beneath the floor, if 

 truly level, hinders vermin from harbouring there, and 

 at the same time prevents the ascent of moisture from 

 the earth, thereby causing the floor to last longer. But 

 to set against this, the spring of the floor is gone, 

 and the grain is consequently threshed with less ease 

 and dispatch. The only drawback to the comfort and 

 advantage of an oaken floor for barns is, that after all 

 precautions, it does not last very many years in that 

 fine level condition in which it is first laid down, and 

 consequently, it brings much expense on those who like 

 to see their barns in good condition. But when it is 

 become too uneven for threshing, the planks may be 

 planed down so as to make excellent floorings for rooms. 

 In threshing, as well as in all other departments of 

 labour, the master's eye is often needed ; there is a 

 temptation to slight the work, as well as to pilfer the 

 urain : but a good servant will resist both. Tusser 

 notices this in his usual quaint style : 



' ' When rain is a let to thy doings abroad, 

 Set threshers a-threshing to lay on good load ;' 

 ' Thresh clean,' ye must bid them, though lesser they earn, 

 And, looking to thrive, have an eye to thy barn. 



" Some pilfering thresher will walk with a staff, 

 Will carry home corn as it is in the chaff ; 

 And some in his bottle of leather so great, 

 Will carry home daily both barley and wheat." 



These lines relate to bygone customs; but it is 

 unfortunately necessary at all times to watch against 



